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Abstract:

This invention relates to a network interface device having a first
capture device interfacing with a first external information source to
capture first external information. The captured information is processed
and stored in a first media, which storage is initiated at an initial
time and completed at a completion time, thus providing a stored defined
set of first captured information. A transmitter transmits the captured
information to a remote location on a network after the completion time.
A remote processing system is disposed at the remote node on the network
and includes a database and a receiver for receiving the transmitted
information from the transmitter as a received defined set of first
captured information. A data converter converts the received information
to a second format as a set of converted first captured information, the
second format different than the first media format, the second format
being a searchable format.

Claims:

1. A system for capturing data in a first media and storing in a database
at a remote location on a network, comprising: a network interface device
having: a first capture device interfacing with a first external
information source that generates external information and capturing the
first external information during generation thereof, a processor for
processing the captured first external information and storing it in a
first media format as stored first captured information within the
network interface device, the processor initiating the storage of the
first captured information as stored first captured information at an
initial time and completes storage of the first captured information as
stored first captured information at a completion time, thus providing a
stored defined set of first captured information representing the first
captured information between the initial time and the completion time,
and a transmitter for transmitting as a transmitted defined set of first
captured information the defined set of stored captured information to a
remote location on a network after the completion time; a remote
processing system disposed at the remote node on the network and
including: a database, a receiver for receiving the transmitted defined
set of first captured information from the transmitter associated with
the network interface device as a received defined set of first captured
information, a data converter for converting the received defined set of
first captured information to a second format as a set of converted first
captured information, the second format different than the first media
format, the second format being a searchable format, and the database
storing the set of converted captured information.

2. The system of claim 1, and further comprising: a second capture device
in the network interface device for interfacing with a second external
information source to capture second external information therefrom; the
processor processing the captured second external information and storing
it in a third format different from the first media format as stored
second captured information; the processor associating the defined set of
stored first captured information with the stored second captured
information; the transmitter transmitting the associated defined set of
stored first captured information and stored second captured information
to the remote location; the receiver at the remote processing system
receiving the transmitted defined set of stored first captured
information and stored second captured information form the transmitter;
the database storing the set of converted captured information with the
associated stored second captured information such that the association
of the defined set of stored first captured information and stored second
captured information is maintained.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the second external information is
temporal and is complete as to the capture at the time of capture by the
second capture device.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the third format is a second media
format different from the first media format and wherein the third format
of a second media format is maintained in the database at the remote
node.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second capture device captures
information from the second external information source indicative of the
location of the network interface device and the processor in the network
interface device processing the second captured information for storage
as location information as the stored second captured information.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the second capture device comprises a
Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the second capture device derives
location information from a time domain analysis of mobile phone signals.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the second capture device derives
location information from a time domain analysis of wireless network
domains.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the second capture device derives
location information from Doppler analysis of timing signals from
cellular/PCS base stations.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein the network interface device comprises
a cell based communication device and the second capture device captures
location information as to cell transmitters and the processor in the
network interface device determines location information from cell
triangulation.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the first capture device comprises an
audio transducer and the first media format comprises a format
representing audio information.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the second format of the converted
set of first captured information represents text.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first capture device comprises an
audio transducer and the first media format comprises a format
representing audio information.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the second format of the set of
converted first captured information represents text.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the network interface device comprises
a portable handheld device.

16. The system of claim 1, the network interface device has stored
thereat a first capture device identifier and the transmitter
transmitting the first capture device identifier with the associated
defined set of stored first captured information and stored second
captured information to the remote location.

17. The system of claim 1, and further comprising an encryptor for
encrypting at least a portion of the defined set of stored captured
information transmitted by the transmitter at some time between the
completion time and the receipt by the remote processing system.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the encryptor encrypts the defined set
of stored captured information proximate in time to the completion time.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the encryptor encrypts at a first
level of encryption as an encrypted file that constitutes a symmetrical
encryption algorithm that has a secret key available only to an owner of
the defined set of stored captured information and wherein the encrypted
file is placed in combination with the owner information in the
transmission and wherein the remote processing system is operable to
store the received information.

20. A system for capturing data in a first media for storage in a
database at a remote location on a network, comprising: a network
interface device having: a first capture device interfacing with a first
external information source that generates external information and
capturing the first external information during generation thereof, a
second capture device interfacing with a second external information
source to capture second external information therefrom at an instant in
time; a processor for processing the captured first external information
from a start event representing the time that capture is initiated to a
stop event representing the time that capture is complete and storing it
in a first media format as a stored defined set of first captured
information within the network interface device, the processor for
processing the captured second external information and storing it as
second captured information and generating an association between the
defined set of first captured information and the second captured
information, and a transmitter for transmitting the associated stored
defined set of first captured information and second captured information
as a transmitted associated defined set of first captured information and
second captured information to a remote location on a network after at
least stop event associated with the associated with the processing of
the captured second external information; a remote processing system
disposed at the remote node on the network and including: a database, a
receiver for receiving the transmitted associated defined set of first
captured information and second captured information from the transmitter
associated with the network interface device as a received set of first
captured information, a data converter for converting the received
defined set of first captured information to a second format as a set of
converted first captured information, the second format different than
the first media format, the second format being a searchable format, and
the database storing the set of converted captured information in
association with the associated received second set of captured
information.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the processor in the network
interface device processes the captured second external information to
provide the second captured information in a third format different from
the first media format.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the second capture device captures
information from the second external information source indicative of the
location of the network interface device and the processor in the network
interface device processing the second captured information for storage
as location information as the stored second captured information.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the second capture device comprises a
Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the second capture device derives
location information from a time domain analysis of mobile phone signals.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the second capture device derives
location information from a time domain analysis of wireless network
domains.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the second capture device derives
location information from Doppler analysis of timing signals from
cellular/PCS base stations.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the network interface device
comprises a cell based communication device and the second capture device
captures location information as to cell transmitters and the processor
in the network interface device determines location information from cell
triangulation.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the first capture device comprises an
audio transducer and the first media format comprises a format
representing audio information.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the second format of the set of
converted first captured information represents text.

30. The system of claim 20, wherein the network interface device
comprises a portable handheld device.

31. The system of claim 20, the network interface device has stored
thereat a first capture device identifier and the transmitter
transmitting the first capture device identifier with the associated
defined set of stored first captured information and stored second
captured information to the remote location.

32. The system of claim 20, and further comprising an encryptor for
encrypting at least a portion of the associated stored defined set of
first captured information and second captured information transmitted by
the transmitter at some time between the stop event and the receipt by
the remote processing system.

33. The system of claim 20, wherein the encryptor encrypts the
information proximate in time to the stop event.

34. The system of claim 20, wherein the encryptor encrypts at a first
level of encryption as an encrypted file that constitutes a symmetrical
encryption algorithm that has a secret key available only to an owner of
the associated stored defined set of first captured information and
second captured information and wherein the encrypted file is placed in
combination with the owner information in the transmission and wherein
the remote processing system is operable to store the received
information.

35. A system for capturing data in a first media for storage in a
database at a remote location on a network, comprising: a portable hand
held device having: an audio capture device interfacing with an external
audio source that generates audio information and capturing the audio
information during generation thereof, a location capture interfacing
with a external location information source to capture location
information therefrom at an instant in time; a processor for processing
the captured audio information from a start event representing the time
that capture of the audio information is initiated to a stop event
representing the time that capture of the audio information is complete
and storing it in a first audio media format as a stored defined set of
captured audio information within the portable hand held device, the
processor for processing the captured location information and storing it
as captured location information and generating an association between
the defined set of captured audio information and the captured location
information, and a transmitter for transmitting the associated stored
defined set of captured audio information and captured location
information as a transmitted associated defined set of captured audio
information and captured location information to a remote location on a
network after at least the stop event associated with the processing of
the captured audio information; a remote processing system disposed at
the remote node on the network and including: a database, a receiver for
receiving the transmitted associated defined set of captured audio and
captured location information from the transmitter associated with the
network interface device as a received defined set of captured audio
information and captured location information, a data converter for
converting the received defined set of captured audio information to a
text format as a set of converted captured audio information, the text
format different than the audio media format, the text format being a
searchable format, and the database storing the set of converted captured
audio information in association with the associated received captured
information.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor in the portable hand
held device processes the captured location information to provide the
captured location information in a third format different from the audio
media format.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein the location capture device comprises
a Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

38. The system of claim 35, wherein the location capture device derives
location information from a time domain analysis of mobile phone signals.

39. The system of claim 35, wherein the location capture device derives
location information from a time domain analysis of wireless network
domains.

41. The system of claim 35, wherein the portable hand held device
comprises a cell based communication device and the location capture
device captures location information as to cell transmitters and the
processor in the handheld device determines location information from
cell triangulation.

42. The system of claim 35, wherein the audio capture device comprises an
audio transducer and the audio media format comprises a format
representing audio information.

43. The system of claim 35, the network interface device has stored
thereat an audio capture device identifier and the transmitter
transmitting the audio capture device identifier with the associated
defined set of captured audio information and captured location
information to the remote location.

44. The system of claim 35, and further comprising an encryptor for
encrypting at least a portion of the associated stored defined set of
captured audio information and captured location information transmitted
by the transmitter at some time between the stop event and the receipt by
the remote processing system.

45. The system of claim 35, wherein the encryptor encrypts the associated
stored defined set of captured audio information and captured location
information proximate in time to the stop event.

46. The system of claim 35, wherein the encryptor encrypts at a first
level of encryption as an encrypted file that constitutes a symmetrical
encryption algorithm that has a secret key available only to an owner of
the associated stored defined set of captured audio information and
captured location information and wherein the encrypted file is placed in
combination with the owner information in the transmission and wherein
the remote processing system is operable to store the received
information.

Description:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 12/857,358, filed on Aug. 16, 2010, and entitled METHOD FOR
MULTI-MEDIA CONVERSION, METATAGS CREATION, STORAGE AND SEARCH RETRIEVAL,
published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2010/0303288, now
U.S. Pat. No. 8,135,169, issued on Mar. 13, 2012. U.S. Patent Application
Publication No. 2010/0303288 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,135,169 are incorporated
by reference herein.

[0002] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/857,358 is a Continuation of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/621,062, filed on Jan. 8, 2007, and
entitled METHOD FOR MULTI-MEDIA RECOGNITION, DATA CONVERSION, CREATION OF
METATAGS, STORAGE AND SEARCH RETRIEVAL, published as U.S. Patent
Application Publication No. US 2007/0150517, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,778,438,
issued on Aug. 17, 2010. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US
2007/0150517 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,778,438 are incorporated by reference
herein.

[0003] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/621,062 is a
Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/325,373,
filed Jan. 4, 2006, and entitled APPARATUS FOR CAPTURING INFORMATION AS A
FILE AND ENHANCING THE FILE WITH EMBEDDED INFORMATION, published as U.S.
Patent Application Publication No. US 2006/0115111, now U.S. Pat. No.
7,184,573, issued on Feb. 27, 2007. Application Ser. No. 11/621,062
claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/757,075, filed on
Jan. 6, 2006, and entitled APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR EMBEDDING META-TAGS
INTO MEDIA FILES. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2006/0115111
and U.S. Pat. No. 7,184,573 are incorporated by reference herein.

[0005] This invention relates to the storage and search retrieval of all
types of digital media files, whether music or other audio, still
photographs, videos, movies or other types of media.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The popularity of digital media devices such as digital cameras,
video cameras, mobile phones with audio and video recording capability
and portable music devices that have recording capability has exploded in
recent years. Instead of recording pictures, video and sound on physical
media, modern devices record to rewritable memory devices. This means
that the cost to create a new image, movie or audio recording has fallen
to near zero, making the number of these recordings available in any
given individual's library skyrocket.

[0007] But this new ability to store virtually unlimited numbers of media
files introduces new problems. First, the sheer number makes it nearly
impossible to manually describe and index every media file in one's
possession. This means that, for many, photographs, movies and audio
recordings are kept in poorly organized computer files and finding any
particular picture, movie or recording is a difficult and time-consuming
process.

[0008] The second problem is the fact that people typically trade up to a
new computer every three years or so. This means that hours of video,
thousands of pictures or hundreds of audio files must be transferred from
the old system to the new--a sometimes daunting task.

[0009] A third problem is one can typically access locally stored media
files only on the computer on which they reside. If one wishes to share
the file with another one must typically employ some file-transfer method
ahead of time (email, FTP, public server, etc.)

[0010] A fourth problem relates to e-mailing or sending your media files
to another party, whereas the receiving party is not able to search the
media files for the specific key indexes that the original owner had
intended. While there are programs to allow the originator to type in key
index words (tags) for searching and retrieving these media files from
their personal computer, when these media files are e-mailed or sent to
another party, these tags are removed from the media file, therefore the
receiving party does not have an ability to search, sort, display, play
or print these media files based on the original owners key indexes.

[0011] Finally, those who make a living providing content need some method
for proving that a given work belongs to them, and that they are the
original creator of the work.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The present invention disclosed and claimed in one aspect thereof a
system for capturing data in a first media and storing in a database at a
remote location on a network. A network interface device is provided
having a first capture device interfacing with a first external
information source that generates external information and capturing the
first external information during generation thereof. A processor is
provided for processing the captured first external information and
storing it in a first media format as stored first captured information
within the network interface device, the processor initiating the storage
of the first captured information as stored first captured information at
an initial time and completes storage of the first captured information
as stored first captured information at a completion time, thus providing
a stored defined set of first captured information representing the first
captured information between the initial time and the completion time. A
transmitter is provided for transmitting as a transmitted defined set of
first captured information the defined set of stored captured information
to a remote location on a network after the completion time. A remote
processing system is disposed at the remote node on the network and
includes a database and a receiver for receiving the transmitted defined
set of first captured information from the transmitter associated with
the network interface device as a received defined set of first captured
information. A data converter is operable to convert the received defined
set of first captured information to a second format as a set of
converted first captured information, the second format different than
the first media format, the second format being a searchable format. The
database then stores the set of converted captured information.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the
advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description
taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings in which:

[0014] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of the overall operation of the
system in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of one embodiment of the overall
operation of the system in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of another embodiment of the
overall operation of the system in accordance with the present
disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of the file management of the
system in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Referring now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a block diagram of
the overall operation of the system in accordance with the present
disclosure. The invention is best described by beginning with the capture
device 100.

[0019] Still pictures, moving pictures, audio, telemetry or other
information (hereafter called simply, "information") is gathered by the
data converter 102 and organized into one "data element" 104 consisting
of a single picture, a movie/video clip, an audio clip, a sample of
telemetry data or other logical grouping of related information. The data
converter 102 can be any type of data capture information. For pictures,
a digital camera can be utilized and, for movie/video clips, the data
converter can be a digital video recorder (DVR). In general, the data
converter is any type of device that will capture the information and
place it in some type of digitized format. As will be understood and
discussed herein below, this digitized format is typically native to the
data converter and the manufacturer. Some manufacturers have a particular
file format in which they generate the information. This file format may
have a designator as to the user, a sequence number or time stamp.

[0020] At the same time the data element is created by the capture device
100, certain other data ("meta data") 106 is captured as well. This meta
data may include time and date 158, location 160, operator identification
162, or other information deemed relevant to establish the context of the
data element. The time, date and location may be taken from a GPS unit,
or may be derived by time-domain analysis of certain types of mobile
phone signals or wireless network domains.

[0021] In some embodiments of this invention, it may be desirable to use a
technique known as steganography to permanently and indelibly embed the
meta data directly into the data element. By using one of several
well-known steganographic techniques, the data element can be subtly
altered such that 1) it is difficult to determine that hidden information
is stored in the data element, and 2 even if it is known that hidden
information is stored in the data element, retrieval without some secret
information (a "key") is difficult. In this way, the data element can be
guaranteed authentic even if stripped from external meta data.

[0022] Also, at the time of information capture, the capture device may
gather additional information from the operator by means of a secondary
data converter 108 that relates to defining the context of the data
element. For example, after a camera/video recorder takes a
picture/video, a microphone (the secondary data converter) might capture
the audio describing the image or the audio from the video just captured.
This "context description element" 110 is stored along with the data
element and the meta data.

[0023] At this point, the capture device 100 has in its internal temporary
storage the data element, the meta data and optionally the context
description element. It now creates a composite data set using one of a
number of well-known algorithms for combining multiple data sets into a
single data set. For example, the well-known ZIP compression algorithm
routinely performs statistical compression on a number of input files and
creates a single output file such that, with the proper decompression
algorithm, the original set of files can be recovered without data loss.
This "combine and compress" function 112 creates a data set called the
"composite element." 114.

[0024] The capture device now encrypts the composite element using any of
a number of well-known encryption algorithms. In the preferred
embodiment, the composite element is first encrypted using a symmetrical
cryptosystem 116 using a key 118 shared by the capture device and the
storage facility. The resulting "singly-encrypted element" 120 is then
hashed. "Hashing" 122 is a technique that generates a digital "signature"
for a data set, such that any party wishing to verify the correctness of
the data set can easily recalculate the hash and compares it with the
previously calculated hash. Hash algorithms have the further property
that it is computationally difficult to find multiple data sets that have
the same hash value. This calculated hash value ("element hash") 124
becomes part of the meta data set that is to be associated with the data
element.

[0025] It is now necessary for the capture device to contact the storage
facility over some communications medium. This communications medium 126
can be any mechanism that permits near real-time, two-way communication.
The specifics of the communication medium are not disclosed here, but
could comprise a wireless telephone network, the public switched
telephone network, or the Internet. The capture device sends the meta
data 106 (now consisting of the time, date, operator identification,
image, video, audio, "context description element" 110, hash 122 and
possibly other data) to the storage facility 128.

[0026] The storage facility validates the meta data received from the
capture device and, if authorized, combines and hashes 130 the received
meta data and a secret number 132 known only to the storage facility.
This hash is appended to the original meta data set and is then returned
to the capture device as a "certificate." 134 At a later time, the
certificate can be presented to the storage facility to determine if a
data element is authentic.

[0027] The singly encrypted element 120 is now combined with the
certificate 134 and then is further encrypted using an asymmetrical
cryptosystem 136 under the public encryption key 164 of the storage
facility 128, designated KSU. This new packet (the "transport
packet") 138 is now ready to transmit to the storage facility 128.

[0028] When it receives the transport packet 138, the storage facility 128
first decrypts 140 the packet 138 using its private decryption key 166
designated as KSR. This gives the storage facility 128 access to the
certificate 134 (which contains the meta data 106). The certificate can
be validated 142 by rehashing the meta data 106 and the secret number
132. Unpacking the certificate 134, the storage facility 128 now knows
the identity of the capture device 100, and can use this to retrieve the
secret, symmetrical key 118 under which the singly encrypted element 120
is encrypted. The storage facility 128 now decrypts 149) the singly
encrypted element 120 to retrieve the composite element 114; then expands
and recovers 150 the composite element to retrieve the data element 104,
the meta data 106, and the context description element 110, if present.

[0029] Now, the storage facility 128 can store the data element 104 under
the owner's account in its mass storage 144. The storage facility knows
the owner's identity because it was disclosed in the meta data 106. The
storage facility also adds "context tags" 146 by methods dependent on the
type of data that is being stored.

[0030] Context tags 146 are searchable elements derived from either the
data element 104 itself or from the context description element 110. For
example, if the data element 104 is a still photograph or video, the
storage facility may create context tags that describe elements of the
scene or image(s), such as "animal," or "dog," or "Spot," depending on
the mechanism that converts the information in the data element or the
context description element into a tag.

[0031] It is equipment analyze the data elements (photograph, movie, audio
recording, etc.) and create 148 a set of appropriate tags. For audio
files, this may include a speech-to-text algorithm; for still or moving
images, it may include image recognition and identification. Whatever the
method used, at the end of the process the set of data to store includes
the data element 102, the context element 110, and meta data 106 that now
includes a set of searchable tags specific to that image, video, audio or
other media. 146, presumed that, as image and voice recognition improve;
this task can be fully automated. Therefore, the preferred embodiment of
this invention is to have the task automated.

[0032] Retrieval of the data elements is performed from some access point
152 remote from the storage facility 128. To retrieve data elements, a
client must prove to the storage facility that the client is authorized
to access the desired data element. This can be done in any number of
ways, but in the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is a password
challenge. The access point 152 creates an authentication request 154 and
transmits the request via the communications medium 126 to the storage
facility 128. At the storage facility, the request is authenticated 156.
Once the challenge has been successfully met, the client can access the
data elements belonging to it. Details of the authentication process may
include password authentication, a challenge/response protocol, or may
employ a hardware authentication device.

[0033] Once the request for information has been authenticated, the
storage facility 128 reads the requested information from the bulk
storage device 144 and encrypts 169) under the public key of the
requester 168, designated as KCU. The encrypted data is then
transmitted to the client over the communications medium 126. Upon
arrival, the message is decrypted 172 under the client's private key 170
designated as KCR and the data 174 is recovered.

[0034] Once the data has been retrieved, the tags may be edited or removed
and new tags added. Other meta data; particularly location and time and
date cannot be changed.

[0035] Variations of the system include placing the ability to enter tags
on the data capture device itself. This could be in the form of a keypad,
a touch screen or voice recognition software. If this option were taken,
the data packet from the image capture device would include the tags in
the meta data rather than a context description element.

[0036] Another variation applies to highly secure applications in which it
is desirable to keep the data element 104 encrypted even while at the
storage facility. In this variation, the data element 104 is encrypted
under a symmetrical cryptosystem prior to combination with the meta data
106 and the context description element 110. This variation precludes the
automatic extraction of tags from the data element itself, but still
permits tagging based on the context description element.

[0037] Referring now to FIG. 2, there is illustrated a diagrammatic view
of the overall operation of the system. In this system, the capture
device 100 is disclosed wherein the actual device that captured it, the
device 102, is illustrated as being a digital camera. This has a lens 202
associated therewith, with the output of the camera being a digitized
image 204. This is basically the data element 104 of FIG. 1. It can be
seen that the element 204 is in a digitized format that is typically
native to the camera. This can be any type of video capture element for
capturing an image 206.

[0038] Once the image is captured, it is stored in a data base 208. In
addition to this information, various associated information such as
audio, timestamp, GPS, location, etc. can be collected. One method for
collecting the audio information, for example, is to utilize a microphone
210 that will capture the information and then digitize it in a
digitizing block 212 utilizing an analog-to-digital converter, for
example. This not only converts it to a digital value but, further, will
convert it to a particular audio format such as a *.WAV file format. This
particular file format is stored in the database 208. Of course, any
other type of digital format could be utilized that is consistent with an
audio format. The GPS information for location can be collected with an
external GPS system 218 and timestamp information can internally be
generated.

[0039] After all the information regarding the video information and the
audio information, for example, is collected, it is stored in the
database 208 and then must be output therefrom. In this embodiment, there
are two types of attached information that are to be embedded within the
image at a later time. The first set of information is the GPS
information, the timestamp information, etc., that is collected
automatically with any image. This information is created in a temporal
relationship with respect to that particular image at the time of the
capture of the image information. This location information, timestamp
information, etc., is information that is unique to the photograph and
defines that image. Further, user information can be provided which
defines the user information that is associated with the capture device,
i.e., the camera. The additional information, the audio information, is
provided in the form of comments and the such which can be stored.
Therefore, when the data in the form of the image information is to be
transmitted to the remote site, it is combined with the additional GPS,
location, timestamp, etc., information and the audio input information.

[0040] There is typically provided a unique file format that defines the
digital image and this unique file name can be utilized to define all of
the secondary information such that there is a unique association of that
information with the image. Thereafter, a compress module 220 is provided
for compressing the information in a compressed file format such as a
*.ZIP file format. This is just a manner to transmit a number of files
together. However, at the reception point, when the files are extracted
from this *.ZIP file, there must be some way to distinguish the files and
again associate them. This is done, for example, with a unique file
naming structure. However, there could be other techniques utilized to
uniquely identify the association between these different files.

[0041] Once this compressed file format is transmitted to the storage
facility 128, it is stored in a database 226. At this time there will be,
for example, a video clip or a video image (such as a still image) stored
in association with the various information that is associated therewith.
This, in effect, is a relational database that provides data storage in
close association with each other. The first thing that must be done is
to extract the information from the data. This is done in a block 228
wherein the associated information is extracted from the database, this
being the associated information, and then processed. Typically, the
associated information will be the audio information in the audio file
format. This must be converted. One conversion that is provided for is to
convert the audio formatted data to text data. Therefore, one type of
audio-to-text converter can be a voice translation system. There are many
of these that are provided such as the Dragon Naturally Speaking systems.

[0042] Once the text format has been provided, this is a converted to
intermediate formatted data, i.e., text data, that can then be processed
in a format that can be embedded within a video file or an image file.
This can then be converted into HTML data or other data. This will
typically be formatted such that it can be defined as a meta tag for
association with the video image. This meta tag is then combined with the
image in a block 230. Once combined, this will then be stored in the
database in association with the original raw video and raw audio files.
Thereafter, there is an access and retrieval block 152 that can allow one
to access the particular modified or "tagged" image via a search. There
can be provided a search algorithm that searches all of the tagged
images. This searching can be performed based upon the GPS location
information, the timestamp information, the added audio comment
information, etc. Any information that can be provided over and above the
video information that was provided in all of the associated information
at the camera can then be searched, as this is the information that is
contained in the appended information to the image.

[0043] Referring now to FIG. 3, there is illustrated an alternate
embodiment wherein substantially all of the combining operation is
contained within the capture device 100 or the camera. Again, there is
provided the capture device 102 in the form of the camera that captures
the image 206. This is converted and stored in a database 306. The
database 306 is basically the combination of database 208 and the
database 226. Initially, all of the information from the digital video
image 204 and the audio information and all other associated information
such as the GPS information, timestamp, etc., are all stored in the
database 306. There will be a corresponding process 308 for taking the
associated information and converting it into different information,
i.e., a meta tag, which is substantially the same as the process 228.
Once the associated process is combined it is converted into that format,
then it can be combined with the image in a process block 310, similar to
the process block 230. Once this occurs, then there is provided a
combined video/image with meta data that can be transmitted. This is
illustrated as the augmented image 316 which has meta data associated
therewith. This is transmitted for storage at the storage facility in a
database 318. This is searchable through the access/retrieval process
152, as described herein above.

[0044] Referring now to FIG. 4, there is illustrated one exemplary
embodiment of the file structure. The image 204 is a digitized image that
constitutes a particular file folder that will have a particular video or
image format. This could be a JPEG format, an MPEG format or any other
type of video format. This is referred to as one having the extension
*.VID (for generic purposes). The file format in this embodiment will
have a user ID section 402, a time/date stamp section 404, a sequence
number 406 and a device number 408. This will have the format of
XXX.AAAA.XXX.XXX.VID. The user ID section 402 will define the user of the
capture device, this typically being configuration information that is
input to the system. The time/date stamp is time and date information
that can be taken from an internal clock or it can be derived from some
external accurate time source. The sequence number 406 is typically
internally generated with a counter that represents an internal sequence
that is unique to a particular capture device. However, among different
capture devices, the sequence could be the same. The device section 408
is a unique device number given to a particular device. Therefore, with
the user ID information, the time/date stamp, the sequence number and the
device number, a very unique file number will be generated. Further, the
sequence and the time/date information will be different for each file.
Thereafter, the information retrieved from the GPS 218 will be disposed
in a folder with an extension of, for example, *.GPS. This will be stored
in the file folder 208. The file numbering will be identical to the file
nomenclature other than the extension will be identical to that of the
digitized video file. Similarly, the audio information will be stored in
a file folder with an extension of, for example, *.WAV with the body of
the file name being identical to that of the digitized video file. This
will all be stored in the database 208 and then combined in a compressed
folder of the *.ZIP type. The actual file name for this can be any type
of file name and it does not have to be identical or unique with respect
to the name. However, there should be some type of unique file name in
that, a random filename could be duplicated by other capture devices.
Thus, in the preferred embodiment of this disclosure, the unique body of
the *.ZIP file will be identical to that associated with the files
contained therein such that this will have a filename of
"XXX.AAAA.XXX.XXX.ZIP." This is the file that is transmitted.

[0045] As a summary, the system of the present disclosure provides a
system for capturing, storing, indexing and retrieving data objects,
which can include a capture device, a storage facility and an access
point. The system consists of a primary data converter, a secondary data
converter, a meta data source, a data combiner and compressor, a
symmetrical encryptor, a one-way hash function, an asymmetric encryptor,
and a communications port. The primary data converter captures some
physical phenomenon such as, but not limited to a still image, a moving
image, a sound, or some other factor, into a primary data set. The
secondary data converter is capable of capturing some phenomenon into a
secondary data set, related to but separate from the information captured
by the primary data converter. The meta data source produces a device
identifier, time, date, location, and other data related to the
information captured by the primary data converter into a meta data set.
The source of the time, date and location information is a GPS receiver,
a wireless receiver or another receiver. The source of the device
identifier is a read-only memory device. The data combiner and compressor
is capable of combining the output of the multiple sources of data (the
primary data converter, the secondary data converter, and the meta data
source) into a single data stream, and then compressing said data stream
into a compressed data set such that the compressed data set requires
fewer transmission or storage resources than the uncompressed stream, but
remains recoverable such that the original data from the primary data
converter, the secondary data converter and the meta data source can be
recovered without error. The symmetrical encryptor is capable of using a
key shared with another party to convert the data stream from the data
combiner and compressor into a singly encrypted data set that is unusable
by any party other than the party that has knowledge of the key. The
one-way hash function is capable of calculating for the encrypted data
stream from the symmetric encryptor a number associated with said data
stream such that (a) the number represents the data stream, but the data
stream is not recoverable from the number, and (b) that it is
computationally infeasible to created a second data stream that, when
presented to the one-way hash function, produces an identical number. The
communications port is capable of sending the meta data and the hash to a
second party. The communications port is further capable of receiving
from a second party a certificate that has the property of (a) being
uniquely and verifiably identified with the meta data and hash of claim
12, and (b) being verifiably identified as originating with the second
party. The asymmetric encryptor is capable of converting the output of
the symmetric encryptor and other data into an encrypted information
packet that can be read only by a specific second party by means of a
pair of related but non-identical keys, the encryption key and the
decryption key. The communications port is further capable of conveying
the encrypted information packet to a second party. The storage facility
consists of a communications port, a device authenticator, an asymmetric
decryptor, a validator, a symmetric decryptor, a data expander and
recovery device, a tag generator, a mass storage mechanism, an asymmetric
encryptor, and a user authenticator. The communications port is capable
of receiving a request from validation from the capture device. The
device authenticator is capable of verifying that the capture device is
authorized to use the storage facility and to create an authentication
certificate such that (a) it is computationally infeasible to create a
second meta data set or hash that creates an identical authentication
record, and (b) the authentication record is uniquely identified with the
storage facility. The asymmetric encryptor is capable of using the
decryption key to recover the authentication certificate and the singly
encrypted data set. The validator is capable of determining if the
recovered authentication certificate (a) was generated by the storage
facility, and (b) is valid for the presented hash and meta data. The
symmetric decryptor is capable of converting the singly encrypted data
set into the compressed data set. The data expander and recovery device
is capable of converting the compressed data set into the original
primary data set, the secondary data set, and the meta data set. The tag
generator is capable of taking the primary data set, the secondary data
set and the meta data set and producing a set of index tags that describe
the primary data set. The tag generator in which the tag generation is
performed by a human operator. The tag generation is performed by a
speech-to-text function or by an image recognizer. The mass storage
mechanism is capable of storing the primary data set, the secondary data
set and the meta data set in a way that the information can be retrieved
based on the index tags. The user authenticator is capable of receiving
requests from access points and verifying their authority to perform
retrieval operations at the storage facility.

[0046] The system can, at its most condensed version, comprise an
asymmetric encryptor capable of converting data read from the mass
storage mechanism using a public encryption key into a form usable only
by a party with knowledge of a secret key that corresponds to the said
public encryption key. The access point consists of an asymmetric
decryptor, a communications port and an authentication requester. The
authentication requester is capable of identifying the access point and
the data element or elements to be recovered from the storage facility in
a manner that proves its authority to access said data element or
elements.